Interweave happenings

I am in no way affiliated with Interweave Press, other than the fact that I am a big fan of their publications, from books like Folk Socks and Hip to Crochet to their quarterly pattern publication Interweave Knits. I bought my first copy of IK when I first began knitting, and although I have yet to make anything from that issue, I credit it with giving me that initial push to acquire more skills in order to make the lovely things featured on its pages.

That having been said, let's find out what's going on in Interweavelandia. First, there is the Scarf Style Knit-Out Contest. This is an ongoing competition, at several different locations, to select a winning original scarf design. I don't live in any of the cities with a participating "Knit-Out," but some of you might (DC? Philly? St. Louis?) and so I thought I'd give you a heads-up. What could be a simpler place to begin designing, if one has not yet written a pattern? Scarves don't have to "fit," and they don't have to be wholly utilitarian, so a designer is very free to let loose the creative whims.

The new IK Crochet special issue is out! Lots of fun little projects are contained therein, as well as some enticing photography. I am still very much attached to the first issue, since it gave me my lovely red Interlocking Rings top (and the to-be-made Cranesbill Lace top), but I am willing to let this new issue hang out in my living room as well. Even more exciting to me is the upcoming Knitscene special issue. The website makes it sound like a pretty cool mix of content with what appears to be a focus on the younger knitter. (I mean younger like me, not younger like elementary school students.) On newsstands in about a MONTH!

New as of today: Knitting for a Better World -- a pretty long list of accessible charities that accept crafty goods for hospitals, shelters, and such. Betsy also has a great list of charities, as well as other ideas for how to use crafting to effect change in the world around us. When Katrina first hit I bemoaned my inability to knit something useful for a Louisianan; they usually don't need scarves and mittens, and what they really needed was boats. (Call Debbie New!!) Now that evacuees are being sheltered in such far-flung spots as Utah and Massachusetts, I'm changing my mind about my opportunities to knit for Katrina victims. I already have a few hats stashed away for donation, perhaps I will spearhead another local drive for donations this year.

Also, if you are an IK reader, you might want to consider applying for their Reader Advisory Panel. I provide this link for a very specific reason: if vibrant creative knitbloggers like you and me are a part of this group, then we can prevent IK from ever devolving into what Knitter's Magazine has become. I have liked a lot of what IK has done over the years, including some of their format changes, etc, but goodness knows we all have some "constructive feedback" for them that we discuss at our knitting groups but never voice to the Interweave folks. (Ok, I'll admit that everytime I've seen Ann Budd at knitting camp I just gush (sincerely!) about how grrreeeeaaaaat the magazine is.)

I guess I've just got Interweave on the brain since a lot of what is on my To-Knit-Real-Soon list is from one of their pubs. I've been trying to schedule some stash-busting projects and have found the back issues of IK very helpful. Keep an eye out for upcoming stuff!!